Friday, December 23, 2005

More about tourist point of Skopje. Although, it is not the right time of the year to tour around because it is cold. I heard it has always been around -10 degree this week.This St. Panteleimon is only a 15 minute drive away from downtown Skopje. It is on the half way up of Mt. Vodno. The photo was taken in the mid November, when Mt. Vodno had the first snow and there was no snow in Skopje yet. Behind trees, you can see the city view of Skopje when it is a clear day.".... This church was built and painted in 1164 under patronage of Byzantine prince Alexios Komnenos. It is most famous for its exceptional fresco paintings, which convey dramatic facial expression and emotions not commonly found in Byzantine art. In 1555 the main dome collapsed, but within a short time the monastery was renewed and repainted. Fragments of old frescoes were incorporated into the new ones. An example of a combination of a new and old painting is the fresco portrayal of The Communion of the Apostles. Among other well-known fresco themes are the Transfiguration, the Raising of Lazarus, the Birth of the Mother of God, the Presentation of the Mother of God to the Temple, The Entry into Jerusalem, and The Descent from the Cross. The most impressive fresco in St Panteleimon, created under the influence of apocryphal religious literature, is The Lamentation of Christ. Art historians consider it a masterpiece, as it displays traits associated with renaissance art at a much earlier date than the blossoming of the Italian Renaissance" (cited from www. exploringmacedonia.com.)